So you decided that is time to search for trauma therapy. The anxiety and sadness symptoms have been taking over your life. So, finally, you are ready to try a treatment that helps you feel better. You found that EMDR can help you reduce the level of distress and help overcome anxiety. But, what is EMDR?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing and is a specialized and proven approach to trauma counseling. It is a form of psychotherapy that aims to treat psychological disorders, PTSD, anxiety, personality disorders, dissociative disorders, and other complex mental conditions. This is certainly a non-exhaustive list, and many individuals may benefit from EMDR therapy, especially in cases where traumatic events or abusive situations have caused panic attacks, trauma-induced phobias, distressing emotions, memories, or recurring nightmares.
EMDR therapy is a proven, evidence-based approach based on the Adaptive Information Processing model. This model explains how unhealed trauma memories can lead to maladaptive responses, such as fear, grief, anxiety, shame, and pain, that leave the person in constant emotional distress. The process of EMDR therapy helps the brain reframe traumatic memories and get back on track toward healthy information processing. EMDR can be provided to children, adolescents, and adults and can also be combined with other evidence-based treatment approaches.